“This business of music is populated with characters of every variety that humanity has to offer. The rule seems to be ‘the more topsy-turvy the character, the more interesting and valid the artist.’ In the bohemian cast of troubadours popularly known as Texas Music (Yes, the Lone Star State has its own brand…you’ve never heard of “Connecticut Music“, have you?) there exists the usual and varying degrees of talent and relevance. Tom McElvain, when we’re speaking of the current wave of the North Texas region, represents the higher order of that rank-and-file.”

-Jeff Hobson, Outlaw Magazine

Tom McElvain, born and raised in Wichita Falls, Texas, grew up listening to country, blues and honky tonk. Born of Irish decent, Tom’s musical influences can be traced back to his Grandma Lucille and Uncle Keith McElvain…but we suspect

the seed was planted by much earlier generations.

Tom’s mother, Brenda, fought a lifelong battle with addiction, leaving Tom’s father to raise him and his sister. Looking back, Tom’s father had done a fine job raising the kids, and was by all accounts a dedicated father, but young Tom saw it differently. He ended up striking out on his own his senior year of high school … click to read more

Joe Austin’s childhood was filled with a love of music- especially live music.

Joe’s grandfather was one of the first crop dusters in Mississippi. He also happened to be one heck of a finger-style guitarist who played with several bands before he got into crop dusting full time. But that never stopped him from playing for fun. Musicians from all over the area would come over and they’d pick all night long. These were your quintessential Mississippi Delta front porch pickin’ sessions, fueled by friendship and laughter. People would dance and sing, drink and smoke- having an all around good time. Joe would sit there and listen, taking in not only the good music, but the way the music made everyone feel. He was hooked early.

He started singing when he was 6 years old at a little country church in his hometown of Randolph, Mississippi, learning to sing and harmonize from his mother, who had learned from her grandmother. Anxiety is a strange thing though, and Joe actually blacked out from the stress the first few times he sang solo. He would… click to read more